Most outdoor rugs are made to withstand different types of weather conditions, even harsh ones.
Outdoor rugs are most commonly known for being able to resist water and for being able to handle heavy rains. Since they are made to be left outside all year long, outdoor rugs can also handle hot and sunny weather.
In general, outdoor rugs do not get too hot in the sun. But this will still depend on the type of material used for the rug.
Here is how the sun generally affects outdoor rugs:
The sun does not harm generally harm outdoor rugs. Outdoor rugs can get hot under the sun but not too hot to damage the rugs. Outdoor rugs are made to withstand hot and sunny weather so that they will not fade or have some discoloration due to sun exposure.
Table of Contents
How Hot Do Outdoor Rugs Get In The Sun?
Most outdoor rugs out there are made from synthetic materials like polyester, nylon, and polypropylene. Some outdoor rugs are made from natural materials like jute, sisal, and hemp.
Because these rug materials are different from one another, they also react differently when they get exposed to the sun.
Most of the synthetic materials, like polyester and polypropylene, are made to be resistant to heat. These materials are commonly used for home and industrial items.
If you have outdoor rugs that are made of polyester or polypropylene, they can get hot in the sun but not too hot. You should still be able to walk on them barefoot even when they are under direct sunlight.
Compared to the other synthetic materials, nylon can get hotter.
Nylon rugs can become too hot to the point that they can hurt if you walk barefoot on them under direct sunlight.
Natural material rugs are different. They do not get hot in the sun because natural fibers like jute, sisal, and hemp do not conduct heat.
However, placing them under direct sunlight can damage them. Direct sun exposure would cause them to fade and make the rug fibers brittle over time.
Additionally, you may also want to check the backing of your rug.
Outdoor rugs with rubber or latex backings tend to get very hot. This is because rubber and latex tend to absorb heat better than polyester or polypropylene.
So even if you have a rug made of polyester or polypropylene, which generally keeps its cool under sun exposure, it can still get very hot if it has a backing that is made of rubber or latex.
However, to avoid color fading you can consider covering the rugs from sun.
Can Outdoor Rugs Get Too Hot For Your Feet?
Depending on the material that the rug is made of, some outdoor rugs may or may not get too hot for your feet.
Natural material rugs made of jute, sisal, and hemp do not get hot. So if you walk on these rugs under the sun, they would still be very comfortable to walk on.
Synthetic material rugs made of polyester and polypropylene can get hot under the sun, but they would not become too hot for your foot.
These rugs would feel warm underfoot at most, but not too hot to walk on with bare feet.
Synthetic material rugs made of nylon can get too hot for your feet. This is because nylon fibers conduct heat better than other synthetic fibers.
Can Outdoor Rugs Get Damaged From The Sun Heat?
Generally, outdoor rugs are made to withstand even hot and sunny weather. Given this fact, they do not get damaged due to sun exposure.
Outdoor rugs made from synthetic materials polyester, nylon, and polypropylene do not get damaged by the sun. These synthetic fibers are made to be resilient so the sun will not damage them, even if they are exposed for a prolonged period of time.
However, outdoor rugs made from synthetic materials like jute, sisal, and hemp will get damaged by the sun over time.
These natural fibers tend to become brittle when exposed to the sun. Some natural outdoor rugs also tend to become deformed. Additionally, prolonged exposure to the sun would cause these rugs to fade.
Do Plastic Outdoor Rugs Get Hot?
Plastic outdoor rugs can get hot when exposed to the sun or placed in a hot environment.
This is because plastic is better at conducting heat compared to other fibers.
What Types of Rugs Don’t Get Too Hot?
In general, all-natural material rugs do not get too hot. Rugs made from natural fibers wool, cotton, silk, sisal, jute, and the like, do not get hot
This is because these natural materials do not conduct heat very well. Even if they are exposed to direct sunlight, these rugs would not get hot over time.
However, they are still not recommended to be placed under the sun because their colors will fade.
When it comes to outdoor rugs, polyester rugs and polypropylene rugs are the best ones to get if you want rugs that will not get too hot. Just make sure to not get one with a rubber or latex backing.
Polyester rugs and polypropylene rugs are made to be heat-resistant so prolonged sun exposure will not make them too hot to walk on even with bare feet. Sun exposure will also not damage them nor cause them to fade.
Furthermore, it is important to note that colors can be a factor in rugs getting too hot. Dark colors conduct heat faster – the same way that the interiors of a black car are typically hotter than that of a white car when under direct sunlight.
So choose rugs in lighter colors. Light colors typically do not conduct and absorb heat the way dark colors do.
To summarize, most outdoor rugs do not get too hot as they are made to withstand even extreme heat. There are a few outdoor rugs that do get too hot, such as nylon rugs.
So if you want an outdoor rug that will not get very hot while still being able to handle other types of weather, we would recommend getting polyester rugs or polypropylene rugs with non-rubber or non-latex backing. These rugs can be left outside even under direct sunlight.